Protection of GPS Location in Cell Phones
In an unanimous decision issued on 25 June 2014 the U.S. Supreme Court held that the history of precise locations contained in the phone are an example of the information that individuals have a right to have protected against “unreasonable searches and seizures.”
According to Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr “Historic location information is a standard feature on many smart phones and can reconstruct someone’s specific movements down to the minute, not only around town but also within a particular building,” The decision underlines the growing concern to protect individuals’ whereabouts and the history of their movements, which have become increasingly prevalent as a result of GNSS and other location technologies.